How to win with Laundry AND Money: Insanely Helpful Giveaway!

Being a Mom is a busy life and it comes with a LLLOOOONNNGGGGG to-do list. Our lists of what we want to do and the list of what actually gets done don't always match up. Like it or not, our children aren't going to remember all the grand plans we had of things to do “someday.” They're only going to remember what actually happened. (I know… I'm disappointed about that, too.) One day, you and your children are going to look back on these days that are happening right now. When that time comes, I want you to be able to smile and say, “Those sure were the Good Old Days!” This blog has the encouragement, the tips and the tools you need to make that happen. Make sure you Pick up my free gift to you before you go!

Some people say my husband and I are crazy. Crazy to have 4 children, crazy to want to adopt 4 more. But one day we saw a photolisting of 4 brothers and sisters in an Eastern European Orphanage and just KNEW that they had to be kept together and know that we want to include them as part of our family. I'm going to tell you about how to win with money and laundry in a minute, but first I want to tell you about the journey that photolisting set us on. I promise, there's a connection!

We had heard about the hosting program at the last minute and had only 12 days until the deadline to raise nearly $12,000 for their plane tickets, train tickets, passports and visas. This was going to take a miracle, so we prayed! In our life, $12,000 is a year's worth of mortgage payments but 11 days later – on my birthday, no less – the children's trip was fully funded! Friends, blog readers and strangers came together and made this happen. It was a miracle!

A few weeks later, and the children were here! Exhausted from a 30-hour trip, but here!

This picture is actually a screenshot of a video of the children's arrival (sorry, it's a bit blurry). I love it because it really shows their personalities. The older brother is happy to be here, but cautious. Not even 10 years old, he's the little man of the family, protecting his siblings against the world… and he's checking us out. The little sister is full of smiles, but glances over to her older brother for approval. “Is this ok?” And the younger brother is just a happy guy. (The littlest sister had to stay behind at the orphanage because she had broken out with chicken pox.)

It didn't take us long to learn to love these children and soon they were learning to trust us, too. Quickly we realized we had some really exceptional children in our home. They were happy, obedient, full of personality, loving and just a lot of fun!

It was just a visit and they had to go back to the orphanage after 5 weeks. Sending them back was such a sad, hard day for all of us. One of the boys was crying. “Are you sad you're leaving?” I asked him. “No, it's just the onion I'm holding,” he replied (in broken English and charades). “Well I'm crying and it's NOT the onion!” I said. They all laughed. They thought it was GREAT that we were going to miss them so much. And that little boy held onto that onion all morning long. We had to take it away from him at the airport. After that, he had to step away to hide his tears.

I miss them. We still get to Skype with them, but it isn't the same. There are no hugs and no cuddles.

So now we're fundraising to bring them back for another visit! We have looked into adopting them and that may be possible in the future. But right now we are in waiting mode. And while we wait, any time they can spend in our home…. being loved, learning to trust, learning about God, seeing what it's like to live in a healthy family with a mom and a dad, learning to have secure relationships and learning that they are valuable… that is only a benefit to them.

Most children in an orphanage have a 60% chance of being trafficked (the girls) and an 80% chance of living on the streets or in jail (the boys). Their suicide rate is high, too. Children who have been hosted know they are loved and their chances of being trafficked, being involved in crime, committing suicide drop to below 20%. So adoption aside, hosting is only a benefit to these children. Yes, it's hard on our hearts to host them and have to send them back to the orphanage, not knowing what the future holds, but if we only wanted what is “easy” …. well, we wouldn't be trying to become a family with 8 children!

Battle of the Laundry Pile & Saving Money

I've written an ebook called Battle of the Laundry Pile: How To Win Without Making the Kids Go Naked and I'm giving it away for FREE as a Thank You Gift to anyone who donates to our host children's account at New Horizons for Children. (It's Tax Deductible! New Horizons is asking for a minimum $10 donation to minimize paypal fees). I'm hoping to raise enough money for all 4 children to come again at Christmas and then again next summer. (If it turns out we can adopt the children sooner than we expect, any extra money will be used as scholarships to help other sibling groups find host families).

What You'll Find:

4 Laundry Experts (Moms of Large Families) give detailed tours of their laundry system

Tips to help you develop your own laundry system that works for your unique family

Articles for Laundry Inspiration and Encouragement

Tutorials to show you how simple it is to make your own non-toxic laundry soap or non-toxic laundry cream concentrate

Laundry Symbols Guide

Laundry Coloring Pages for your little ones

Laundry Stickers for your Day Planer

And, what might be my favorite feature of all….

EXCLUSIVE LAUNDRY COUPONS!

I asked on Facebook what your favorite laundry products are and you answered! I contacted four of those companies and they have very graciously agreed to partner with us and offering you an exclusive coupon! You will find coupons for:

$2 off your Homemaker’s Friend Day Planner at Homemaker’s Depot. (The coupons says $1, but it will take $2 off your order!) In addition to their current sale, that makes this $13.99 planner only $7,99!

These are INCREDIBLE family-run businesses owned by really fabulous people! I am so honored to be partnering with them on this project. Even if you don't download the ebook, please check these companies out!

HERE'S HOW TO GET YOUR COPY:

Go to our host children’s You Caring page and donate to our host children’s account. Since your donation goes directly to New Horizons for Children you will get a tax deductible receipt!

Come back to this blog post and enter your information in the form below. You will be taken directly to the ebook! (As an added bonus, you’ll be added to our email list. Be sure to add “info@GoodOldDaysFarm.com” to your address book so that my emails aren’t blocked. You’ll want to look in the footer of the first email from me because there are special surprises for you there!)

Please share this web page with anyone who would be interested in great laundry tips, or just helping a really special cause! Our hashtag is #BattleOfTheLaundryPile

Thank you so much for your encouragement and support! Your donation and your download are truly changing lives!

Here's how much time is left until our first deadline. We need the first $6,000 by April 22. You can help us meet our goal. Click here to help! The remainder for the summer trip is due a few weeks later. Whether you can donate financially or not, sharing this post on social media and praying for us is invaluable! You can join our prayer team and get lots of updates as they happen at the Dubois Adoption Prayer Warriors Facebook Group!

How to Win With Laundry And Money: The Giveaway!

My sweet friend Jenn Gerlach at SimpleAtHome.com has been such an encouragement through our hosting journey! She is partnering with me and together we are offering a fun giveaway with 3 winners! Enter below to win a FREE copy of Battle Of The Laundry Pile AND her ebook (af link) 150 Plus Ideas To Save Money. If you win and it turns out you already own Battle of the Laundry Pile, I will confirm your donation with New Horizons and you can choose from any of my other ebooks!

Simply enter below. There are several ways to enter and you can choose as many or as few as you'd like. Some of the entry forms involve sharing this blog post on social media. Doing this helps me spread the word about orphan hosting. Let's bring these kids back to a family that LOVES them!

Please, prayerfully consider donating to our host children's travel fund. Your donation goes directly to New Horizons for Children and you will receive a tax deductible receipt. Whether you donate or not, I'd love to share this Giveaway with you!

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Hi! I’m Alina Joy Dubois and I live on a small Texas farm with my husband and our 5 children. We are a family full of fun adventures, big messes, lots of noise, big bear hugs, sticky kisses and lots of giggles. Sometimes it is pure chaos (and yes, I might hide in the bathroom from time to time to escape for a bit)! But, despite the chaos that is motherhood sometimes, I know that someday I will look back on these days and say, “Those sure were the Good Old Days.” That’s why you’ll find me serving up Christian encouragement for fellow moms at HappyUnconventionalLife.com If you need a virtual hug or a “high five,” Come join me!